Stephanie Weaver

A group set up to reduce odour issues from a water recycling centre has vowed not to become complacent despite receiving no complaints so far this year.

Jim Bass is stepping down as chairman of the liaison group set up in 2012 to tackle the issue of smells coming from Great Billing Water Recycling Centre.

But Mr Bass, who is standing for re-election on Wellingborough Council, is bowing out on a high as the group has seen odour complaints fall from 89 to 30 in 2014, a 66 per reduction, and none so far this year.

Public affairs manager for Anglian Water Christopher Hayton said: “We have had no complaints in 2015 so far which is great.

“The group has been set up since 2012 and we pulled it together to increase collaboration between us, local residents and the local authorities.

“It is a massive site but the number of complaints was much too high for our liking.

“We formed the group and we had 89 complaints during that year. If you look at 2014, we closed the year on 30 complaints and none so far this year. We are really pleased with that.

“There is always going to be some smell but we want to be good neighbours. What the group has done is help us understand where the pinchpoints are and understand the issues.

“But what we don’t want to happen is people to stop complaining if they have an issue, because if they don’t complain we can’t investigate.”

Measures taken since the group formed include moving parts of the treatment site to alternative locations and increased chemical dosing to cut odour. The centre also has its own website now and people can sign up for news alerts.

As well as Anglian Water, other group members include Wellingborough Council, Ecton Parish Council, Northampton Council, Northamptonshire County Council, the Environment Agency and local businesses.